Holidaymaker suffers from Cryptosporidium and Salmonella at the Eftalia Splash Resort in Turkey

2nd November 2017

We've been contacted by a holidaymaker who says that they suffered from both Salmonella and Cryptosporidium at the Eftalia Splash Resort. Reviewers have taken to TripAdvisor to express their dissatisfaction, pointing towards potentially unaddressed problems.

The Eftalia Splash Resort in Antalya

Situated in the Konakli resort of the popular Antalya region of Turkey, the Eftalia Splash Resort features several swimming pools and facilities and is advertised by Thomas Cook to British families on an all-inclusive basis.

Holidaymaker contacted by Public Health England

Our client informed us that a few days into their stay at the Eftalia Splash Resort, a member of their party suffered watery diarrhoea, sickness, headaches and lethargy, as well as hot and cold shivers. They say that food in the buffet restaurants was left out uncovered and wasn't hot during their stay.

They also say that there were cats roaming the grounds of the hotel that had access to the food and tables in the dining areas, the tables in the hotel didn't appear to be clean and the food handlers didn't wear gloves or hairnets.

Since returning to the UK, our client says that they've seen their doctor and have also been contacted by Public Health England about Cryptosporidium and Salmonella, highlighting the severity of their condition.

Reviewers comment on pool hygiene issues and holiday illness

At the time of writing, the Eftalia Splash Resort has favourable reviews on TripAdvisor, with many holidaymakers praising the resort. Although reviews are mainly positive, the following guests experienced issues with the food, swimming pool hygiene and gastric illness:

'Jojokass' stayed at the Eftalia Splash Resort this October and in their review titled "Jojok" they say that "the food is the worst [they] have ever seen", commenting that they were "served […] chicken which [was] raw". They say that they "all suffered [from] upset stomachs since arriving".

Glasgow holidaymaker 'Alison8891' wrote a review of her stay in September titled "Worst holiday ever" in which she says that "the food in the hotel is awful" and "if you do decide to eat any of it you only end up spending the rest of the day and the next on the toilet".

'Cassi D' wrote a review of her stay at the Eftalia Splash Resort in August titled "Not happy!!" In it, she says that on the "3rd day into holiday [her] son [who is] aged 7-years-old got poorly" as well as her "brother [who is] aged 15".

She says that this "ruined the holiday for them" and when they were "delayed for 2 hours" on their way home, her "son and [her] brother [were] still not well" and her "son [collapsed] on [the] plane".

'Cassi D' says that they arrived home in "England at 6:30 am" and she "had to take [her] son to doctors", after which they were sent to the hospital. She says that "he is now on a drip" and is "seriously ill and being sick", as well as suffering from bouts of diarrhoea.

'Donna L' experienced similar problems with holiday illness during her stay in August. In her review titled "Don't book", she says that "both [of her] boys fell ill", one of which suffered symptoms of "sickness" and the other had "ear infections in both ears".

She says that she's "pretty sure this was from the pools", explaining that "on more than 1 occasion children had pooed in the pool and it was just fished out". She says that the pool "wasn't closed nor more chemicals put [into] it" and "toddlers were also in the pools in normal nappies".

'Donna L' concludes her review by stating that she was unable to use her travel "insurance for the hotel doctor as they do not take English policies", explaining that "they will see you if you pay 108 euros".

Important things to know about Salmonella and Cryptosporidium

Both Salmonella and Cryptosporidium can result in devastating symptoms that could easily ruin your holiday, so it's important to know more about them.

Salmonellosis is the name of the condition caused by the Salmonella strain of bacteria which causes symptoms that can include diarrhoea, stomach cramps, vomiting, headaches, a fever, chills and in some cases bloody stools.

Salmonella can be transferred through human and animal faecal matter, meaning that you're at risk of Salmonellosis if you consume meat that hasn't been cooked thoroughly or that has been contaminated by animals such as birds or stray cats.

Cryptosporidiosis is the name of the condition caused by the Cryptosporidium parasite which causes symptoms similar to Salmonella and other types of food poisoning, such as watery diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, fever and stomach cramping and pain.

As with Salmonella, Cryptosporidium can be found in the faeces of people and animals, meaning that it can occur under similar conditions, however, Cryptosporidium is a waterborne parasite, meaning that it can also be contracted through contaminated drinking water and swimming pools.

If you contract a harmful strain of bacteria or a parasite such as Salmonella or Cryptosporidium, or even if you exhibit symptoms of food poisoning while you're abroad, it's important to inform your holiday representative and your hotelier. Doing so will allow them to provide you with access to medical care, as well as prevent other guests from becoming unwell.

Once you return to the UK, it's advisable to speak to your GP, informing them of any treatment that you may have received, as well as speaking to a travel law specialist.

Find out if you're able to make a claim

If you suffer a gastric illness on an all-inclusive package holiday, then under The Package Travel Regulations 1992, you could be entitled to compensation from your tour operator. A member of our specialist travel law team can provide you with a free no-obligation consultation, during which we can assess your case and advise you of the best way to pursue your complaint. If we represent you, we can offer 'no win no fee' terms.